Three years ago senior Brandie Mims had no inclination to join the track team. However, three years later as a senior Mims would break a Clarke Central High School record three times and place third in the 2008 Region Championships.During her freshman and sophomore years Mims only played basketball and did not consider playing another sport. But in 2005, former CCHS assistant track coach Reginald Thomas would talk her into coming to a practice.

In the spring of 1977 Donald Maxey suited up one last time for the Clarke Central High School track team. Over 30 years later his son, junior Marcus Maxey, crouches in preparation for the 110 hurdles, with a familiar face coaching him.Donald lettered from 1975 to 1977 on the CCHS track team and competed in the 4×1 relay, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4×4 relay and pole vaulting during his tenure at CCHS.After a successful career as a student athlete, Donald returned in 2006 as the hurdles coach for the CCHS boys track team giving him the opportunity to coach his son, Marcus.

The last bell! School is out and Clarke Central High School students scamper away from their nine month dungeon. Most CCHS students will not return until they come back in early August, but for student athletes, the end of the school year marks the beginning of intense summer training.Several CCHS athletic programs require summer workouts. It gives teams a chance to stay on top of their game over the summer and come in to the season at full stride. But are rigorous summer practices really necessary?

With one returning senior and a new head coach, the 2008 Clarke Central High School varsity baseball team faced a turbulent season. But using their losses as motivation to improve, the team was able to finish the season strong.On Feb. 28, CCHS played its home opener against Johnson County High School. Despite the team’s efforts to turn the game around in the final innings, CCHS lost 6-4 to JCHS.

Nov. 19, 2007 the Clarke Central High School varsity girls basketball team won their first game of the season against Fayette County High School, 59-55. This marked the beginning of Head Coach Carla Johnson’s sixth season at CCHS, as head coach, and her 100th career win.“Actually, I forgot and a parent reminded me after the game. I was excited that they got their first win of the season,” Johnson said.At CCHS, Johnson’s main goals as a coach included continuing a successful program and producing well-rounded athletes. However, her lifetime involvement with basketball did not originally involve coaching aspirations.

Last year, CCHS’ varsity golf team finished as Region 8-AAAA runner-up and clinched a berth in the state playoffs.This year, the team returns without four of last year’s six leading scorers and must now rely on youthful additions to recapture the success.“I definitely saw it coming. We lost a good two thirds of our starters. Now, we’re just depending on some very young guys to grow very quickly,” Golf Head Coach Dinah Posey said.

It’s the 18th hole, the pressure is on. Use the five iron or the four? Go in for the kiss or hold back? You haven’t played a whole round of golf to turn back now. You haven’t gone through a whole date to ruin it in the closing seconds.This dilemma is faced by countless lovers and golfers everywhere. Some are experienced, some yet to be proven. However, one thing remains the same; it’s all about the finish.You’ve been practicing your swing in the mirror all week in anticipation of your “appointment” with the golf course. You’ve called in a tee time at your favorite clubhouse and even had some sessions on the driving range in preparation. With scorecard in hand you drive briskly over to the first hole and line up the tee shot.

Clarke Central High School’s 2007-08 varsity girls basketball team came into the season with a tough act to follow. The 2006-07 team recorded an undefeated regular season and a 26-3 overall record.Last year’s squad’s accomplishments led the team all the way to the State Tournament Sweet Sixteen. But on March 1, 2007 at Decatur High School, the regular season’s flawless record ended when they suffered a loss to Southwest DeKalb High School, 66-45.However, with a new season approaching, senior guard Terra Branch had no worries of where the upcoming season would take the team.

Despite a rough start to the game, the Clarke Central High School varsity girls soccer team rallied back during their season opener against Eastside High School Feb. 12.The beginning of the varsity girls soccer game did not look good for CCHS. Within the first 10 minutes of the game, a striker from Eastside High School took a shot from the middle of the penalty box forcing CCHS senior goalkeeper Lisbeth Carney to dive and deflect the ball away from the goal. This put the ball into position for another Eastside player to come and tap the ball into the goal while Carney recovered from her dive, putting Eastside ahead 1-0.

Limited playing space and growing popularity were the two components forcing a major change among Clarke Central High School athletics. This spring, the CCHS tennis team will be facing that transformation.“I really tried to expand the program for the past two years and it got to be too difficult. That’s something that I took pride in, not cutting anyone, but we just don’t have the courts to do it,” Hinson said.